Dumbo was one of those movies that I watched so much as a kid our bootleg VHS copy of it gave out! This is such a lovely and fun movie, a true Disney Classic, and a movie I have enjoyed for the better part of four decades at this point. It was one of the Disney Classics that I was very excited to share with my own son and I am pleased to say that he loved it too.
How to Download Dumbo (1941)
You can download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice.
The Movie Review
Dumbo is the fourth Disney Classic and out of the original Disney Classics that were released in the 1940s, Dumbo is by far my favorite. I know that there is a great deal of controversy (rightfully so) with the racial insensitivity that this movie has. However, as a kid, I never picked up on that at all and just enjoyed it for what it was. However, there is no denying that it is a black eye on an otherwise lovely movie.
The story of Dumbo probably needs no retelling by the likes of me, but we will do a quick recap for you fine folks in case you have not seen it in a long time. There is a circus and all of the elephants are waiting for their babies from the storks. Mrs. Jumbo has not gotten her elephant, but the stork is just running late and eventually catches up to the train with her baby!
Before I go on, I have to talk about the train, Casey Jr. is one of my favorite Disney Classic songs and it is a ride that I always go on multiple times when we go to Disneyland Paris and it is all because of Dumbo that I love the ride so much. In a movie with so many memorable scenes, Casey Jr is one of my favorites.
Dumbo: 70th Anniversary Edition
As you know, Dumbo has these big ears and as a result, he is teased and picked on by elephants and kids too! Mrs. Jumbo in trying to stand up for Dumbo ends up put in a cage! Dumbo is devastated, but a little mouse called Timothy is looking out for him. Dumbo ends up being put with the clowns as he is so clumsy!
After a night of hard drinking! That is right the rather trippy pink elephant scene where Dumbo and Timothy get drunk sure is one of the most iconic Disney scenes of all time. Anyway, it is this scene that leads to Dumbo being able to fly after he meets with some racist crows of course. One of the things that I love about Dumbo is that it has just such a happy and lovely ending that never fails to put a smile on my face.
Look, Dumbo is just a lovely and wholesome movie that pulls on your heartstrings. It is a movie that is impossible not to love and a true classic in every sense of the word. One thing I will say is that Dumbo also has one of the best live-action adaptations as Tim Burton did a wonderful job bringing this classic tale to life in live-action.
